This invention relates to entertainment systems and more specifically to retractable display assemblies integrated into entertainment systems utilized on transportation vehicles.
Today's world involves numerous situations in which one is required to endure trips of varying distance and time for both pleasure and work reasons. To accomplish these travels a wide assortment of personal and commercial vehicles including automobiles, buses, ships, trains and aircraft are relied upon on a daily basis. For those individuals not operating the respective vehicle, the duration of the trip provides a captive situation which is often addressed by access to wireless broadcast information, such as television, or viewing pre-recorded information stored on the vehicle for playback during the trip. Such systems are often referred to as on-board entertainment system or mobile entertainment systems. With advances in electronics in recent years, with respect to size, cost and ruggedness, such on-board entertainment system entertainment systems are commonly found in numerous vehicles.
One drawback to the present day utilization of on-board entertainment system entertainment systems, is the maintenance associated with the display or monitor stowage and deployment. In order to provide maximum viewing access, the physical location of the display or monitor often subjects the device to excessive stress, both planar and rotational, when deployed. Additionally, the operating environment of such entertainment systems is often characterized by high vibration and deliberate, but uninformed attempts to deploy or retract the display.
During normal deployment and operation, certain conditions may arise that result in system operator desire to retract and stow the display assembly. Although the display assembly can be deployed manually, a typical on-board entertainment system on a large passenger vehicle, such as an aircraft, may utilize a large number of individual displays. A preferred method of deployment and storage is the minimization of user manipulation of display assembly location. Accordingly, a sensor assembly that is lightweight, low-cost, accurate and rugged that allows for the repetitive deployment and storage of the display assembly would be advantageous.